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Atropha
Nov 17, 2010



Viola is momentarily distracted by Flynn's cellphone, leaning down and probably getting a little closer than what would be considered polite, but she's curious and he did hold it up for them to admire after all. "Hi Flynn." she finally manages, clearly distracted. "How's your girlfriend in that thing? Is she real tiny?" she asks, holding up her thumb and index fingers and slowly inching them closer and closer.

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Antivehicular
Dec 30, 2011


I wanna sing one for the cars
That are right now headed silent down the highway
And it's dark and there is nobody driving And something has got to give



Okay, so this Viola kid is pretty weird. I'm guessing she's an exchange student, maybe, from somewhere that doesn't have cell phones -- where would that even be? It'd have to be somewhere more cut off from the world than Honey Bee, which is enough to make me feel bad for her by default. She's being strange, sure, but maybe she's overwhelmed or something like that. Or maybe she's just a weird kid; there are worse things to be, after all.

Like whatever Flynn is. The fact that his message from his girlfriend is just her thanking him for buying her something kind of makes me wonder, but I nod to James and try to be polite. "Yeah, is she in town or in Norton? Do you guys get to see each other? She seems nice." I'm not sure she actually does, but he clearly wants us to say something about her, so... that's safe enough.

Unknown Quantity
Sep 2, 2011

!
Steven? Steven?!
STEEEEEEVEEEEEEEN!
Honey Bee

Flynn reflexively pulls the phone back at Viola's attempt to touch it.



"Uh...Neither. She's from further upstate. We met online. Any of you players on Eorzea Online? It's an MMORPG, and a pretty good one at that. We met there." He flips through his phone and produces an image of what you assume to be his girlfriend's character. Her character avatar is a catgirl wielding a pair of daggers. She appears to be doing a happy emote to his character (you assume, since it looks just like him), a human in heavy plate with sword and shield. "Alice here is kinda new to the game, but I'm showing her the ropes and we're having a lot of fun together. If you decide to pick it up, lemme know and we can all play together. Easier for non-tanks to queue that way."

Atropha
Nov 17, 2010



"Ooh, that's nice." Viola nods, hat jingling slightly. She doesn't seem too upset by Flynn jerking the phone away. It's his after all. And even though she doesn't know what an MMO is, she seems to grasp the idea that the guy in armor represents Flynn easily enough.

"Is that her Persona?" She suddenly asks, pointing at the catgirl in the screenshot.

OscarDiggs
Jun 1, 2011

Those sure are words on pages which are given in a sequential order!
James Morganson

Met online? Is that a thing now? I mean, I know it’s a thing but I thought it was something only adults did. And Viola! I mean yeah, computers and things aren’t exactly my strong point but I still know my way around a cell phone. Dad makes me carry one in case of emergencies. Where did she come from the cell phones are such a rarity? Someones going to have to sit down with her and figure out exactly what kind of cultural clashes are going on, which is probably the schools job somehow but I doubt they're going to get around to it.

“Ah, that sounds… interesting!” I say placidly to Flynn; I don’t want to be rude and I don’t know the circumstances. What do I know when it comes to girlfriends and boyfriends? “It must be some game to bring two people together like… this.”

I’m trying to think of what to say next when Viola mentions that word; Persona. No, it can’t be. It has to be coincidence. Still, I’m panicking. “Violacouldwehaveareallyquicktalkrealquick?!?” I rush out, desperately trying to compose myself and not lose it in front of everyone.

TheFireMagi
Nov 6, 2011

...She's behind me, isn't she?
Christie Fairchild

"Follow me then! We should still be good on time if we move now. Ah, by the way, my name is Christie. Nice to meet the two of you."

Realizing that I had yet to introduce myself to the pair, I do so before leading them into the classroom. Inside, I took the opportunity to choose a seat in the front row before the seats were all filled, and brought out all the supplies I needed for proper note-taking. As expected, most people were discussing the merger with Honey Bee, although the rumor about the mirror briefly caught my attention. How people came up with these superstitions already when it was still the first day, I had no idea. Although, if one of the janitors had gotten injured...

Before I can give much more thought to the rumor, our teacher comes in and introduces himself as Mr. Schlaf before beginning the lecture. And what an odd lecture it was! I was wondering why his expression had looked so blank; I was assuming lack of sleep, but I can confidently say I never would have guessed auto-hypnosis to be the answer. Still, for the sake of a productive environment, I really hoped that situations like this wouldn't be the norm for Psychology.

---
With the rest of the lecture proceeding normally, I find the two that I guided earlier once the bell rings. They seemed nice enough, and besides, they probably needed help finding our next class.

"So, what'd you guys think of your first lecture here? Mr. Schlaf falling asleep aside, that is. Honestly..."

Searching for another topic to talk about, I'm led back to the train of thought I had earlier.

"Did you hear about that ridiculous rumor people were talking about before the lecture started? I mean seriously now, it's only the beginning of the semester and we already have a new absurd superstition going around."

TheFireMagi fucked around with this message at 23:26 on Sep 17, 2016

Antivehicular
Dec 30, 2011


I wanna sing one for the cars
That are right now headed silent down the highway
And it's dark and there is nobody driving And something has got to give



Persona?

I don't recognize it offhand, but then, I do. Of course I do. I think of the right pocket of my jeans and the Tarot card inside it, my eternal co-pilot. But how does Viola know?

James is stammering, but I go silent, looking at James and then Viola in turn. They definitely know something, but... what? Come to think of it, I don't really know much either, beyond what I feel. If she has a word for it, that means she's probably been taught something, or just has a better sense of this than I do. Hopefully she'll talk, and hopefully I'll be able to hitch along to whatever she and James have to say to one another.

Of course, Flynn's still here. Does he know? Just how much of an open secret is it?

Atropha
Nov 17, 2010



"Oh! Sure, but Flynn hasn't answered my question yet..." she meekly objects and trails off as James pulls her away from Flynn. He seems concerned, so this is probably important. She gives Flynn a slight wave. "I'll be right back, looks like there'sathingwegottatalkaboutrealquick!" she imitates James' hectic talking.

Unknown Quantity
Sep 2, 2011

!
Steven? Steven?!
STEEEEEEVEEEEEEEN!
Honey Bee Fiasco



You get a slightly confused look from Flynn with your question. "A Persona? If you mean their character, yeah. It's a M--" Flynn's about to happily explain to you the intricacies of the catperson race within the lore of this MMORPG world when James cuts in with is very awkward remark, and presumably dragging Viola off around a corner.



"Wait!--...Well, that happened, I guess." He looks over at Laurel. "So, this is supposed to be the welcome committee for when the Norton class comes by later, yeah? Maybe you ought to keep them from wonking out mid-conversation when the others from our class arrive, y'know? Just saying, they probably don't have that great an impression of us to begin with. Alice is looking forward to me going there though: could be some good deals on great stuff there so I don't have to keep buying things online and waiting half a month for them to arrive. Plus it means souvenirs."

Lurks With Wolves
Jan 14, 2013

At least I don't dance with them, right?
Sam Whittaker

"I'm Sam. Good to meet ya." Well, at least these guys seem nice. Or nice enough to help a random stranger out, which is all I can really ask for at the moment.

As for psych... Of course the teacher's a weirdo. Why wouldn't he be? This school's been strange enough already, so of course the faculty's strange too. But hey, at least this class is going to be easy. Aaaand everyone's going to lump me and Sabrina together, aren't they. Long black hair, glasses, weird occult connections, it's obvious. So obvious I'm already tired of it.
---
"Eh. Seems like it'll be an easy A." Well, Christie's still being friendly. Well, friendly or chatty. You can't really tell the difference when you've only known someone for an hour. At least he hasn't gotten into anything too-

TheFireMagi posted:

"Did you hear about that ridiculous rumor people were talking about before the lecture started? I mean seriously now, it's only the beginning of the semester and we already have a new absurd superstition going around."

I laugh. It's not a pleasant laugh. More like a crow getting punched in the gut. Everyone's probably looking at me. That's not important. What matters is that this boy just told me about how fake a rumor about mirrors is, and there is no sign that he has any idea what he just said.

"Ooohhhh. Oh Chris, I do not know where to even start on that sentence."

OscarDiggs
Jun 1, 2011

Those sure are words on pages which are given in a sequential order!
James Morganson

I don’t even think about Flynn as I drag Viola to a secluded corner, nor do I notice Laurel trailing behind us. I’m too focused on what Viola let slip. When we’re sufficiently secluded, I notice my grip on Viola’s arm. “Oh, god, sorry” I splutter, frantically disconnecting myself from her. In my haste to bring Viola somewhere safe to talk, I haven’t even thought thought of what to say to her.

“So…” I begin, just talking and hoping something that makes sense comes out “Er, Persona. That’s a, a very specific word choice there Viola. And well, you know different words mean different things in different places… So, well, erm, what do you mean when you say it? Persona, I mean?” I finish up, just in time to notice Laurel come into view.

Atropha
Nov 17, 2010



"There's other words for them? It's the only one I know. Come to think of it, I'm not sure how I know, but that's the name of the passenger that dwells in your heart. Your innermost feelings given shape like a mask put forth to endure the hardships of life!" she explains dramatically, placing her hands in front of her face and peering out through the gaps between her fingers. "Flynn's looks so much like him. Isn't that amazing? And he's showing it to us so freely. Maybe because it's so much like him he's not afraid of sharing it." she goes on, slowly lowering her hands again and looking at James before looking over her shoulder, back the way they came from. "He's probably hurt that we ran away..."

OscarDiggs
Jun 1, 2011

Those sure are words on pages which are given in a sequential order!
James Morganson

I breath in a calming breath. “I can apologise to Flynn later. But what he showed you on his phone? That wasn’t his Persona, that was like a game thing, the one he plays with his girlfriend. Persona’s aren’t actually that common Viola, in fact your the only person I’ve met that seems to know about their true meaning, other then myself.” There, I admitted it. After that night weeks ago, I haven’t met anyone that knew what I was talking about when I spoke about Persona. Until today.

Davin Valkri
Apr 8, 2011

Maybe you're weighing the moral pros and cons but let me assure you that OH MY GOD
SHOOT ME IN THE GODDAMNED FACE
WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?!


"Stefan, and thanks for walking us here," I say. With Christie's help, we make it just in time to grab halfway decent seats.

...or, you know, watch the professor decide that now is the perfect time to nod off?! If he can't even muster up the effort to care about his subject, then why the heck should I care about it?! I wind up spending the lecture reading ahead until I get bored, then switching over to other books that I try to hide with the pages. And also figuring out the school layout -- of course the campus map comes up after I don't immediately need it. Good thing I'm in the back...

-----

"Who would even try to put on makeup in the girl's restroom after dark?" I voice incredulously. "This isn't a boarding school and I don't think any of the activities go past--" Sam voices her own opinion and I look her way. "Wait, that wasn't your makeup thing or something, was it?"

Antivehicular
Dec 30, 2011


I wanna sing one for the cars
That are right now headed silent down the highway
And it's dark and there is nobody driving And something has got to give



I want to follow James and Viola more quickly, but Flynn is right there and asking. "We're working the kinks out of the welcoming-committee thing. I think he's just, uh, worried about her, since she's an exchange student and all? And he's scared she's gonna say something really offensive. I'm sorry. Look, let me go talk to them, okay? And we'll sort this out." With that, I duck out and try to catch the rest of the conversation, just in time to hear James say something about the "true meaning."

"Sorry to interrupt," I say, "but back it up a little? The true meaning of 'Persona', right? Because I wouldn't mind knowing that myself."

Antivehicular fucked around with this message at 05:34 on Sep 18, 2016

Atropha
Nov 17, 2010



"The strength of thine true self!" Viola exclaims solemnly with a nod, apparently not too concerned about Laurel dropping in on the conversation because she obviously seems to know what they's talking about. "They emerge from the sea of your soul to stand at your side in times of hardship." she says, tipping James' and Laurel on the forehead with the index finger of each hand. "You mean Flynn doesn't have one? That's sad..."

TheFireMagi
Nov 6, 2011

...She's behind me, isn't she?
Christie Fairchild

Surprised by Sam's sudden outburst, I find myself staring confusedly without a reply ready. Had I made a mistake somehow? It seemed like a rather harmless topic, so I just threw it out there. But for some reason, it seemed as if she had taken offense? Well, regardless if it was hers or not like Stefan had ventured, I should apologize.

"It seems like I said something wrong, so, um... sorry."

Man, talk about embarrassing. Would it be better or worse if I asked what I had said wrong? Probably worse? Unable to decide, I rub at my tensed shoulder while waiting for her response.

OscarDiggs
Jun 1, 2011

Those sure are words on pages which are given in a sequential order!
James Morganson

I’m about to have a heart attack when I notice Laurel turning around the corner and the floor practically falls out from beneath me when she mentions Persona as well. It can’t be, it’s just way to much of a coincidence to meet two other people in on the same day who know. I’m still struggling to process the meanings, the implications of all this when Viola gives her explanation.

“I, er.” I’m floundering. “No, I don’t think Flynn has a Persona.” I eventually settle on, just ignoring the weirdness until it hopefully starts making sense. “Most people don’t, in fact. Like I said, the only people I’ve met with any idea… it looks like it’s just us three.” I glance unblinking between Viola and Laurel, unsure of what happens next.

Lurks With Wolves
Jan 14, 2013

At least I don't dance with them, right?
Sam Whittaker

"No it wasn't my makeup. If it was my makeup, you wouldn't have heard about it because telling people about weird things that happen around mirrors never goes well for anyone." No, I'm not mad. Why would I be mad? It's not my fault everyone won't shut up about mirrors every time I turn around and I am so tired of this.

...

Okay, maybe I'm a bit mad.

"No, you don't need to... Whatever. Apology accepted. Let's talk about something else."

Antivehicular
Dec 30, 2011


I wanna sing one for the cars
That are right now headed silent down the highway
And it's dark and there is nobody driving And something has got to give



"... I didn't know it was a thing that happened to other people. I barely had any idea why it was a thing that happened to me. I guess I thought it was... something trying to help me figure things out before I get out of school? But that's dumb. The universe isn't like 'hey, you're a confused kid, have a ghost co-pilot,' right?"

I pause for a moment to try and make sure I get this out right. "I'm not sure I believe in coincidences about something this big. I think, if this is a thing we all know, we met for a reason... and maybe the people in our class are there for a reason, too. What I'm saying is, maybe we should try to make nice with Flynn while we figure this out. ... We're all still figuring this out, right? I'm not the last one to the party?"

Atropha
Nov 17, 2010



"You think it's destiny?" she asks, emphasizing the word by spreading her hands in a flourish. The impact of that is a little diminished considering she seems to do those kind of things constantly while talking. Her body-language is very expressive, to say the least. "That's silly. I chose to come here all on my own. This just means I picked the right place! And obviously now I can help you two figure things out!" she adds, fists on her hips and her chest pushed out proudly, despite the fact that beyond what she already said she doesn't seem to know that much more. If anything she seems to be overall amazingly clueless and people probably shouldn't let her take charge of things too much or she might start going around asking more people than just Flynn f they have Personas too.

TheFireMagi
Nov 6, 2011

...She's behind me, isn't she?
Christie Fairchild

Okay, something else, something else... shouldn't talk about the rumor, already talked about the class... oh, of course!

"So, um, how about that merger with Honey Bee, huh? It caught me completely by surprise, to say the least. I've never gone there myself, so it could be interesting, don't you think?"

There, found a completely different topic! Hopefully Sam wouldn't take this poorly as well, because I was more or less out of ideas after this. Hmm, maybe that was something I should study if I had free time: "Topics for casual conversation." Ah, but, that's not really something you should have to study, is it...

Davin Valkri
Apr 8, 2011

Maybe you're weighing the moral pros and cons but let me assure you that OH MY GOD
SHOOT ME IN THE GODDAMNED FACE
WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?!



"Oh, right, sorry." I raise my hands in a "don't shoot the messenger" pose and nod. "Your face just looked like you knew something about the makeup and I thought--"

Christie opens his mouth, and now it's my turn to look incredulous and quirk my eyebrows. "You're going to have to define what you mean by 'interesting'," I try to say in an even, measured tone, stuffing my hands in my pockets because they've balled up into fists. "Because there really is not a whole lot out there. Open space, bad signals...lacking first aid infrastructure...."

OscarDiggs
Jun 1, 2011

Those sure are words on pages which are given in a sequential order!
James Morganson

This talk of destiny set’s me on edge, especially with the way I must have pissed off Flynn earlier. But maybe that’s just guilt from how I ended up blowing him off. I’m still deep in thought as Laurel and Viola talk. Then Laurel asks her question.

“Yeah, yes.” I try to placate her. “We are definitely going to try and figure this out, together. And I should probably go and apologise to Flynn about earlier, destiny or no.” Before I head back to the annoyed blonde, I turn to Viola. How do I say this without sounding paranoid and/or a jerk? “You should probably be a bit more careful with who you talk to about Persona’s Viola. Not that there’s anything wrong with it exactly; you’ll either find someone else who knows like us or you’ll get a blank expression like with Flynn. But if you go around to everyone with this sort of thing, you’ll get worse then a few odd looks. People don’t generally do well when other people are out of the ordinary.” Heh, speaking from experience. “Look, I’m not telling you not to or anything but… Ask Laurel or me if you’ve got a question first, okay? We’ll answer it just fine and I promise we won’t think any less of you for it!” Oh god, that was so awkward. “I’m gonna go apologise to Flynn for freaking out real quick.”

- - - - -

I find Flynn much as we left him, playing on his phone presumably talking to his girlfriend. I walk up to him and wait for a lull in their digital conversation. “Er, hey Flynn. I just want to apologise about earlier. Viola’s a new transfer student see, and it looks like the school hasn’t done their job in getting her up to speed with how things are here…” Oh come on James. Own up to it. “But that doesn’t excuse me freaking out like a lunatic. I’m sorry. I hope you won’t think any less of the three of us for it.”

Unknown Quantity
Sep 2, 2011

!
Steven? Steven?!
STEEEEEEVEEEEEEEN!
Honey Bee

Flynn looks up from his phone after typing out another message. He takes a second to process all of it, then...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZAgJQSoTKU



"S'all cool, man. We all get first day jitters. Well, me and Alice don't but that's 'cuz we have each other. Anyway, working out a couple of kinks at the start is no big deal. Plus you actually came back. I kind of expected you three to disappear and just pop back up by second period. Even made a bet with Alice over it. I owe her $10 now. Or did, until I finished sending it to her just now." He confirms this by showing Alice making a happy cat emote face with dollar bills for eyes. "Anyway, we still got like an hour. You got anything you were gonna do?" He produces a laptop that was top of the line about a year ago. "I was just gonna log into my EO account and do some bookkeeping. If you're interested I could get you and your friends signed up and started too, assuming you've got email addresses. It's free."

Atropha
Nov 17, 2010



"Be careful about telling people, aye aye! They'd probably just be disappointed and I don't wanna make anybody feel bad." Viola nods at James, following after him as he heads back to Flynn.

"Aww, I'm sorry we lost you a bet. But I do wanna know what is going on with this... game?" she takes a guess, going by what James had told her this whole cat and knight thing actually was. "I like games. Do you play different roles in this? Or does your girlfriend have ears like that?" she asks, putting her hands on the side of her head, imitating cat ears. "That'd be pretty neat. Most people have boring ears, I find."

Lurks With Wolves
Jan 14, 2013

At least I don't dance with them, right?
Sam Whittaker

Huh. Guess everyone's getting testy today. That... actually makes me feel a bit better. Maybe this conversation isn't actually that bad.

"Don't forget the hours of travel time." My shoulders untense as I slip my hands my hands into my pockets. "If they're going to be taking this much of our time, they might as well just put us in dorms and call it a day."

Davin Valkri
Apr 8, 2011

Maybe you're weighing the moral pros and cons but let me assure you that OH MY GOD
SHOOT ME IN THE GODDAMNED FACE
WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?!


"And travel time," I nod, trying to banish a vague image of collapsing on board a train so crowded I can't even fall to the ground before...well. Best not dwell on that. "Seriously, I hope whoever came up with this plan got a lot of bribe money, because otherwise they're really stupid."

OscarDiggs
Jun 1, 2011

Those sure are words on pages which are given in a sequential order!
James Morganson

“Er, okay, sure. I mean, if we’re all all right with that?” I throw a questioning look toward Laurel, unsure if she wanted to do anything else for the rest of the hour. I can’t really say I know what to expect from this Eorzea thing; you don't generally get very good internet connections when you're up in trees. Gaming as a whole isn’t really something I’ve ever gotten into, but seeing Flynn’s passion for it, even if it's mostly about his girlfriend, is catching a little. But if nothing else, it’s an hour to get a better handle of some of Viola’s other… quirks under the gaze of the pretty forgiving Flynn. Making sure she doesn’t get herself into trouble is going to be important going forward, especially when the Norton kids show. City kids are a lot nastier then the ones around here. I swear, when I get a spare second to contact one of the maids, this school is going to be receiving some serious complaints about the level of prep they provide to transfer students! “I’m in as well, as long as Laurel didn't want to do anything else before the Norton half show up.”

Antivehicular
Dec 30, 2011


I wanna sing one for the cars
That are right now headed silent down the highway
And it's dark and there is nobody driving And something has got to give



I shrug. "I didn't have any plans. Kinda know where all my classes are, unless they're changing stuff up already... my question is, what can you play this on? I don't have the newest stuff. My phone's okay, but... not great, you know?" I frown a little, mostly unconsciously. Flynn seems like he's rolling in it, at least based on all the gifts he's giving Alice. I'm... well, okay, I could probably spend a little money on a better phone or whatever, but I'm trying to save up for car stuff and... whatever happens after college. I'm not sure a video game is in that plan, but why not give it a shot?

TheFireMagi
Nov 6, 2011

...She's behind me, isn't she?
Christie Fairchild

Did I somehow just manage to step on a second landmine? At least this one didn't seem to be as bad as the first. To be fair, their points were valid, and if I was being honest, I'd probably learn better in a familiar environment than having to adjust to a new one. Still, being this down on the idea right from the start seemed a little harsh. Before we went there even!

"At least we'll get to meet new people? The air's probably fresher than here in the city too. Um, and..."

I pause as I try and look for something else to argue with. Wait a second, I thought, why am I defending a place I've never even been to? Reflecting on that for a moment, my eyes widen as I glance down at my watch.

"And...and...and we are going to be late for class if we don't leave now! Come on! I remember reading a note saying that History'll be on the third floor of the Arts and Humanities building for today..."

Totally wasn't using a handy excuse after running out of reasons. At least, not completely anyways.

Unknown Quantity
Sep 2, 2011

!
Steven? Steven?!
STEEEEEEVEEEEEEEN!
Honey Bee



Seeing that you're all interested in at least trying it, Flynn gets a smile on his face. He runs down the minimum hardware specs. It's a PC game through and through, though thankfully as long as your desktop computer isn't half as old as you are, it should be able to run it. Alternatively, if you have the latest home game console, it works for that, too. For those without such devices, he pulls up a quick list of parts and someone who can put them together on the cheap to email to you. And then has to create an email for Viola to actually use for registration and to receive the list of items, but he seems quite happy that he has prospective friends to play with alongside his girlfriend at least. Besides, worst comes to worse he offers to let you use his rig to get the basics down during lunchtime. Under his watchful eye to make sure nothing goes wrong, of course. In this time, you all finish registering your accounts. Next time you can meet up, he'll run you all through character generation and the basics of the controls.

?!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gDp3hVHqoaU

Something rings in your heads as you ponder this new relationship you've made. Familiar words by a voice unfamiliar, and an image of a card similar to the one you hold.



"I am Thou. Thou art I. Thou hast established a new bond with the Devil Arcana. When thine fates are marked by the Devil, thou shalt receive our blessing. Seek out those who know of the Arcana. Seek out he who is marked by Death. He shall open the way forward."

And with that, the moment passes. Flynn hasn't even noticed your little flake-out as he's gone back to talking with his GF over texts. However, he makes sure to wave you off once the bell that signals the end of first period ends.

Stefan Falco

As you head to second period, you receive an email on your phone. The sender appears to be a company called "The Velvet Room" with the title "The game has begun yet again."

Odd Email posted:

To whom it may concern. Forces within this world have begun moving in a strange direction. Surely you've noticed the strange occurrences late at night, the paranormal sightings, and the unease between these two cities joining together. These events do not transpire merely by chance, and it is our belief that you and several others whom you may not yet know will play an important role in determining the future. To that end, you have been offered exclusive membership into our club. You and however many properly "attuned" guests need only visit one of these two locations, one in either city. Attached to this message is the key to the club door. Once opened, it will be available whenever you or your guests find yourselves in the area.

Attachment: Velvet.key

Opening said attachment makes you feel a strange presence in your least-full pocket. Reaching in, you'll find a small blue key. How'd that get in there?

Everybody

History goes by mercifully quick for both campuses. When the school bell for the Norton campus rings, it becomes time to board the bus to the train station, then board the train to Honey Bee. Thankfully for you, several train cars were reserved for students, so you're not awkwardly packed in alongside businessmen and other adults. Just kind of crammed in with one another (albeit not uncomfortably so) with your fellow classmates. Some of them start playing with their phone or reading from their textbooks. Others are finding non-electronic ways to enjoy themselves, knowing what's coming up: the overwhelming majority of the trip is eaten up by the tunnel between the two cities. It's pitch-black, save for the lights in the train and along the walls outside the railway, and, towards the end, the light at the end of the tunnel. It is technically your lunch period as well, so you're free to have it during this trip. Meanwhile, the Honey Bee class of 2-B, not having to bother with a train ride for today, can enjoy the extra half hour.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tfWkjYsGzzM

When the train finally leaves the tunnel...It's forest and tall grass as far as the eye can see for a ways until you reach the station, aside from a few scattered sections of what is either lake or swamp. A good two-thirds of the land looks like it has been untouched for decades, possibly centuries. You even spot wild deer off in the distance, although they're quickly spooked by the train's appearance. The train comes to a stop. Your wireless signal is...Well it was five bars back in Norton. Here it varies between...zero to two. Three once you start getting into the town proper. Speaking of which, these buildings are tiny comparatively speaking. The people also seem relatively underdressed compared to the highly formal usual wear of people going around town. You in your uniforms definitely stick out, especially as a crowd. And they treat it like a novelty. A few hushed whispers about "city folk" and "taking jobs" and "fancy threads" go by as you pass to the school...which of course Six Sisters completely and utterly dwarfs. In a strange turn of events, there are a series of signs laid out. On these signs are the various class numbers and designations. Presumably you're meant to meet up with your fellow students here. And then go to the cafeteria if you didn't pack and eat your own lunch.

Speaking of which, while Norton has actual restaurants and cafes, it doesn't provide free meals. Honey bee on the other hand provides for all those who enter. Granted, it's all usually frozen/reheated items that most public schools get. If nothing else it's heated through and through and doesn't cost you a dime. Plus there's always the additional items sold on the cheap like pickles, soft drinks and other snack items. Needless to say, the other Norton students are...less than pleased with this. Although some of the more athletic types are happy about the fact that their sport drinks are about half the price they'd be at the Norton campus.



OOC: At this point, feel free to introduce each other, enjoy/stomach free high school cafeteria food, and possibly discuss weird arcane magics until you feel ready to move on with third period.

OscarDiggs
Jun 1, 2011

Those sure are words on pages which are given in a sequential order!
James Morganson

Devil? Flynn?!? But… but he didn’t seem like a bad person. Did he? I’m as confused about this whole thing as I’ve ever been. I spare a glance toward Laurel and Viola to see if this… voice from beyond has them as spooked as me. I also spare a glance toward Flynn. Maybe Devil isn’t a bad thing? I mean it’s not like I’m an actual, physical Chariot. And marked by death. What poor bastard is marked by death, and how in the hell are we going to find them? And then it hit’s me, something that Laurel said earlier; destiny. It’s frustrating, but as much as I hate to admit it maybe there’s some truth to that? Within an hour of starting here, I’ve found two others like me and the entire school isn’t even here yet. It’s on its way on the train right now.

“Hey er, since it looks like we’re the official welcoming committee for Class 2-B, we should probably go out and meet the Norton students, now that they're arriving.” I look to Flynn and say “We can continue with this a little bit later, okay?” I make my excuses and apologies and we’re soon away from Flynn where we can talk freely. “Laurel, something you said earlier might be important. I’m not one for destiny, but it can’t be coincidence that we’re discovering all of this today of all days. I think we should look among the Norton students for anyone like us. I know we all want to find out what… that was, but that voice said we should look for someone marked by death and with how everything else has gone today, I think we have a good shot finding them in the arriving students.”

Atropha
Nov 17, 2010



Viola's a little bit lost at Flynn's explanations and instructions, but she does her best to pick up on it and not ask too many horribly idiotic questions. In turn she's probably the least surprised of the three when the voice rings out in their heads. She listens attentively and nods a little to herself as she contemplates it, though she suddenly seems a little more somber than before. Something is happening, something important. She'd suspected as much, something did after all shake her out of the stupor of non-existence and this just confirms it. Well, sort of anyway. Someone here needs her help. With what is another question but Viola's not one to be bogged down by specifics like that. She'll figure it out. With the help of her newfound friends if need be. When James brings up the very real possibility that the one the voice told them to look for might be from Norton she frowns a little.

"Someone marked by Death might be coming through the tunnel. I don't like that. I don't like that at all. They might upset things! Oh no, that's not good. We gotta find them." she nods in agreement, the jingling of her hat a little at odds with the determined look on her face.

Davin Valkri
Apr 8, 2011

Maybe you're weighing the moral pros and cons but let me assure you that OH MY GOD
SHOOT ME IN THE GODDAMNED FACE
WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?!


History passes by in a blur--not a headache-induced one, thankfully, just a boredom-induced one--and soon enough I'm on the train, sitting down and reading that email that made my phone buzz in class. "Velvet Room," huh? I try to Google the name before we hit the tunnel, but that just gives me...uh...well...different clubs that aren't anywhere near Norton or Honey Bee. Maybe they're too small to have a website? But if they have a location, they should--

My thinking is interrupted by the tunnel coming up, and the connection on my phone suddenly crashing. Just as I press the attachment to scan it. Figures...and then my pocket suddenly feels heavier. A key? Did someone drop this? Nobody seems to be patting at their pockets for something missing...and I was sitting down, so it couldn't have landed in my pocket by chance. Did someone slip it in there by mistake? Once I get back into some decent lighting, I can make out what looks like a "V" on the handle end. Don't tell me this thing is the Velvet key...

------

No time to think about that, I need to grab something to eat before the next class. Welcome back, Honey Bee cafeteria food, I've hardly missed you at all. I grab a hot sandwich and a drink and start looking for a seat. Somehow I feel myself drawn towards an empty seat at a bench setup with a bunch of other people. It almost feels like...that seat was set aside for me--no, that's stupid! Ugh, stupid train ride, it's making my brain even loopier than it was. Still, I slide in and mumble "hey" to the people already there.

Lurks With Wolves
Jan 14, 2013

At least I don't dance with them, right?
Sam Whittaker

History was fine. Not good. Not bad. Just fine. And now I'm stuck on this train for entirely too long to go to a school that's entirely too far away, and that will also go fine. I'm not going to get bored out of my skull, I'm not going to get into a stupid conversation, I am just going to sit here and play phone games until we reach the station and nothing in the world could stop-

quote:

You have lost connection to the NICAEA BETA servers.

Tap here to retry connection

Maybe one thing. I sigh and shove my phone back into my pocket. This is going to be a very long trip...
---
One damp but relatively edible chicken sandwich. One carton of milk. One scoop of canned peaches. All in all, not the best lunch to start the school year on. But hey, at least it's cheap. Now to just find somewhere to sit and... This place sure got crowded fast, huh. Well this just got difficult. Okay, there's sea-never mind, it just got taken. And there's a seat there but that guy looks like an utter memester and I do not need that in my life right now. And... Huh. There's that guy from earlier. Might as well sit with him.

"Hey Steve. Ya saving these seats?" I drop my tray on the table and take a seat. I mean, he's probably not holding them for anyone, he's as new as I am. "Some food they got here, huh?"

Davin Valkri
Apr 8, 2011

Maybe you're weighing the moral pros and cons but let me assure you that OH MY GOD
SHOOT ME IN THE GODDAMNED FACE
WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?!


"Hi, Sammy," I answer her between bites. "It's...some food, yeah." I've had worse in overnight hospital stays, but I don't exactly feel like mentioning that. "So what brings you back to see me?"

TheFireMagi
Nov 6, 2011

...She's behind me, isn't she?
Christie Fairchild

Thankfully, History passes by without any more hiccups, both with the teacher and on my end. I did find it harder to concentrate in class than normal, but I managed to pull through. And after that, we were in Honey Bee. It was... well, it was more or less what I expected. I still wasn't sure if that was a good or a bad thing at this point, but there you had it. What was a bad thing, or at least embarrassing, was all the attention us Norton kids were attracting. Did we stand out that much? I guess we must have. I'd just have to get used to it, I suppose.

---

Awkwardly, I glanced about the cafeteria, my homemade lunch in hand. Hadn't thought about this part. Where was I supposed to sit? Then, out of the corner of my eye, I spot Stefan and Sam sitting down at a table with a few other kids. The memories from this morning were still unfortunately fresh in my mind, but just standing around like this wasn't accomplishing anything. Besides, it wasn't as if they were actually mad at me or anything. Probably? More nervously than I should, I walked up to the table with a light smile.

"Hey, Stefan, Sam. Mind if I sit here too?"

Antivehicular
Dec 30, 2011


I wanna sing one for the cars
That are right now headed silent down the highway
And it's dark and there is nobody driving And something has got to give



Someone marked by Death? Well, I mean, I'm marked by Death, if my card and my... ghost... says anything. But the voice clearly said "he," and if it meant me, I presume it would have said so. I'm still not quite sure what to make of this Devil thing, either, and I suppose my trepidation is obvious on my face. Better to act than to think, though.

"... Yeah, James, you're right. We should go find them. I mean, even if something happens, we'll still know more. I think the train's already here -- figure we should hit the lunchroom, see if they went straight to lunch?"

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Atropha
Nov 17, 2010



"Yes! Everyone's going to be there to eat, no? That's perfect, I'm sure we'll find them." Viola says, somewhat diminished mood revigorated by the fact she's found something to do about it. "Come on!"' she charges ahead, bouncing down the hallway and it's a miracle she refrains from straight up cartwheeling. She pushes the doors to the lunch room open dramatically and poses dramatically for a second, drawing some odd looks as she surveys the room. With a look of concentration on her face, mouth pursed on one side and eyes narrowed she starts wandering through the room, occasionally stopping at a table to stare down one or two of the people sitting there, shaking her head and moving on.

When she gets to Stefan, Sam and Christie's table her face freezes with her eyes fixed on Stefan. All color seems to drain from her face and all the weird Jester-cap wearing girl says is "Uh oh." before she spins around on her heel and bolts the other way again towards Laurel and James, one shaky arm pointing back at Stefan's table. "I found him! H-he's over there! Oh this is real bad, this is no-good, awful, dreadfully unpleasant!" she says, her voice an intense whisper.

Atropha fucked around with this message at 03:15 on Sep 21, 2016

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